Figure skating-Team event to set tone as skating powers balance risk and reward

MILAN, Feb 5 : The Olympic figure skating programme starts on Friday with the team event, which should provide an early test of depth, tactics and nerve that will play out among the leading skating nations over the next two weeks.

Staged across several days at Milan's Ice Skating Arena, the team event blends the sport’s four disciplines — men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs and ice dance — into a single medal contest that rewards consistency as much as star power.

Ten teams first compete in their short and rhythm dance programme before five are selected for the final round, where they perform their free skating and dance segments.

Introduced at the 2014 Sochi Games, the team event has quickly become one of figure skating’s most politically and emotionally charged events, with nations juggling medal ambition against the need to protect skaters’ energy for individual competitions.

The U.S. are again expected to be among the main contenders, relying on depth across all four disciplines. Two-times world champion Ilia Malinin headlines the men’s field, while world champion Alysa Liu and three‑time national champion Amber Glenn lead a strong women’s singles line‑up. Madison Chock and Evan Bates provide experience and consistency that have often proven decisive in the team format.

“Any time you get the opportunity to compete at the Olympics, you want to cherish it,” Chock said when asked how she felt about competing for the team when it is a medal in the singles competition that's been a long-time goal. This will be Chock's fourth Olympic Games but so far she and Bates have secured gold only in the team event.

Bates added having the opportunity to compete as a team was special.

"And this team in particular is so deep, so talented,